Child Pornography Defendant From DHS Enters Not Guilty Plea

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA — A Desert Hot Springs man accused of possessing child pornography pleaded not guilty to a felony charge Thursday.

Victor Christopher Lascano, 21, was charged with one count of possessing matter depicting a minor in a sexual act, along with a sentence-enhancing allegation of possessing images of a minor under 12 years of age. He pleaded not guilty to the charge Thursday afternoon in Indio.

Lascano was arrested Tuesday morning when detectives with the Desert Hot Springs Police Department, with the assistance of the Riverside County Child Exploitation Team, searched a residence in the 66200 block of Flora Avenue on Tuesday as part of an investigation into possession and dissemination of child sexual abuse material online, authorities said.

He was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center, where he was being held on $150,000 bail.